Encountering your Destiny
by the-reedus-express
Summary: AU. Daryl moves into a small one bedroom apartment in Atlanta when he discovers he's living beneath a frail women who's being abused by her husband. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This is my first Caryl fic so be gentle! I'm writing it as an AU because I want them to meet before the apocalypse. I want to watch them struggle for a relationship like every other couple. Of course it's not going to happen right away and I'm only posting this little bit on here so far so that I can see if anyone will even read it! If I get reviews asking for more or even positive feedback I'll post more! I've been struggling writers block for the last 4 years so this is the first thing I've written in quite a while.**

**Reviews are pretty much begged for at this point. **

_[The first encounter]_

Daryl Dixon was not a man of much class, not that anyone expected him to be. He was expected to be just like Merle and their father. So when he dropped out of high school it was no big shock. What was a shock was when he moved away from home and the abuse that came with it. He moved into Atlanta, a small one bedroom apartment to call his own. His neighbours were alright. Except for the asshole upstairs. Daryl had to listen to some asshole beating his wife all day. At first it didn't bother him, hearing it reminded him of home and it made the first few nights sleeping easier. But a few weeks in he'd grown tired of it.

On a Saturday when he was taking his garbage out, he stepped into the elevator and inside was a beautiful women. Except she had bruises and cuts on her face, a long sleeved wool sweater to hide the rest. There was no doubt this was the women who lived above him. Behind her there was a small movement and he noticed the presence of a small child. She looked scared of him but she held her strong glare, like she was protecting her mother. "Morning..." he said as he pushed the ground floor button.

"Morning.." She replied, mumbling softly and not making eye contact. She looked like a scared mouse and Daryl almost scoffed. But that wouldn't do anything but push her deeper into her shell. He hated when his father would beat his mother, he hated when any man laid a hand on a women, he didn't believe in that. He wanted to help this women but he was a coward. Every time he'd ever tried to stand for something he was knocked down 10 pegs lower. But his pa wasn't here. Merle wasn't here...What was stopping him was his own fears. He looked back down at the little girl and couldn't help but wonder if she was being touched or beaten as well. But before he could let his thoughts could get the better of him the elevator stopped and they all got out, Daryl going one was and the women and her daughter the other.

His first encounter with the women forgotten by the time he reached his apartment again.


	2. Chapter 2: The second encounter

_Sorry this took as long as it did! My internet was down, which was a disaster for my tumblr Here's the second chapter! Hope you guys like it as much as the first!(I'm keeping the first few chapters short, but they'll grow in length the more confident I become with this story)_

_[The Second Encounter]_

It was early morning, the smell of coffee drifting down the street and into his apartment, wafting towards his nose and pulling him from his slumber. The aroma reminded him that he had to start looking for a job today. It was the smell of success, busy people and money. So with a yawn he rolled over and grabbed his pack of Parliaments, slipping his feet into his worn down slippers and stepping out his window to the fire escape.

Today he could hear them; the husband yelling, the women crying and the little girl yelling at her daddy to stop. He could hear the smashing of glass and constant stomp of feet by the window above him before it stopped. The apartment door slammed above him and the women climbed out onto the stairwell. She had fresh bruises on her face and wrists, a cut the was slowly flowing with blood on her lip. It was painful for him to see, bringing up memories of his mother before the house fire.

Looking away from her, he glanced down the street and seen her husband climbing into his car and driving off to what he expected was his cheap job. "Hey you uh..." he looked back up at her, his hair falling into his eyes so he shook it out. He lifted his smoke pack, offering her one as he lite the one hanging between his lips.

"I don't smoke.." Came her reply, her voice wavering slightly as if she weren't used to speaking. Her tears were still wet on her cheeks as she looked down at him. He was incredibly handsome in a rough and rugged way, but he had gentle eyes. "..." Her daughter called for her and she gave him a weak smile before she climbed back inside and leaving him to think about what he was going to do with the rest of his day.

He left an hour later to find a job, the women's haunting pain sticking in the back of his mind like an annoying hum.


	3. Chapter 3: The Third Encounter

**Authors note: So this is the third instalment, I hope to make this one a little longer than chapter 2 because I want to have them interact more with each other (But it still won't be that long). So please let me know how you all feel about this one! And don't be afraid to suggest things because I might need some help in the future with it.**

_[The Third Encounter]_

Daryl had just returned from his latest job interview with high hopes, the auto shop owner he'd talked to seemed to be really interested in the Dixon's skill set. So when he stepped into the elevator he was proud of himself, his body relaxed. Inside the elevator the lights flickered and the scent of stale tobacco and piss surrounded him but he didn't care. He didn't even bother to look up when a person stepped in next to him and just pulled out his cell phone. No new messages.

It wasn't a surprise when there were no messages from his father, none from Merle and none from his uncle Jess. He did have a message from the auto shop he'd just come from. So he quickly pressed the play message button and listened: "Mr Dixon, hey it's Rick from Auto Mark! Just thought I'd call and let you know you got the job! Give me a call back and we'll set up your start date." _End call._

He couldn't believe it! He'd been in the city just over a month and had a job, an apartment and a hopeful outlook on the rest of his day. So he looked up and was shocked to see the women standing there, a small smile on her face.

"What's so funny?" He asked her, turning to face her more. He couldn't help the smile that was still on his face either.

"You're just... mumbling to yourself.." she said in a mouse like voice, her frail fingers dancing over her lips with her soft laughter. "I'm Carol..." She said and let her hand fall to lay on the opposite arm, covering a bruise left visible by her short sleeves.

"M'Daryl.." He said with a nod of his head, his eyes lingering on the ugly mark she was trying to hide. "I live beneath you.." _Stupid Daryl, she already knows that..._He thought to himself as he shoved his phone back in his pocket. "You heading home?" He asked, not wanting to be nosey but curious about her.

"Got to put dinner on for Ed..." She said, her voice shaking slightly at the mention of his name. "And Sophia." She smiled a bit at the name of her daughter.


End file.
